A new article on Bethesda.net outlines how character progression will work in Fallout 4. They offer a special S.P.E.C.I.A.L. chart along with a video, and a pretty detailed rundown on how the system will play out in the next installment in the RPG series. Here’s a bit:

What’s important is that each of these Perks is actually a mini Perk tree*, with multiple ranks that also do new things. Gun Fu above allows even more damage the more targets you select, increasing to instant Critical Shots. Gunslinger has ranks that up the range of pistols, add a chance to disarm enemies, and even instant limb crippling shots.

These additional ranks do require your character to be a higher level. This allows us to make some powerful Perk ranks that reward your investment in a certain SPECIAL as well as that individual Perk. It also allows us to fold Perks we liked from previous games into Perk ranks in this new system. For example, the Fallout 3 perk Paralyzing Palm (paralyze enemies through hand-to-hand), now becomes the Rank 5 Perk for Iron Fist. But you need to have chosen the previous 4 ranks of Iron Fist and be level 46. We also pushed old Perks to do new things at higher ranks. Strong Back doesn’t just up the amount you can carry; higher ranks of it allow you to fast-travel while encumbered or even run while encumbered at the cost of Action Points.

Also, Bethesda has released the third video in the Fallout 4 S.P.E.C.I.A.L. video series, titled “Endurance”. Click here to view it along with the first two videos in the series.